


Forever

by Thunder_the_Wolf



Series: Life In Dog Years [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, captain america the first avenger au, that isn't as fun as you think it is, tony is steve's guardian angel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:14:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22644715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thunder_the_Wolf/pseuds/Thunder_the_Wolf
Summary: AU where Tony is Steve’s Guardian Angel, which he desperately needs. Especially since the Serum doesn’t seem to have worked.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: Life In Dog Years [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1248377
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**He first appeared when Steve was eight and had just recovered from his worst bout of sickness yet. That wasn’t to say that Steve was no longer sick, far from, but was less sick than he was before, which took him from Death’s Doorstep to his Driveway. Sarah Rogers prayed for her little boy. Prayed for his recovery and in the meantime, did her best to keep him alive. Fortunately enough, he had a destiny to fulfill, and no one could take his place. Hence the Guardian now pacing his small room, shaking and begging his long-gone mentor to help him through it. Anthony could easily recall the argument that took place before he was sent down.**

_**“It has been decided that Anthony will be the one to guide the mortal Steve Rogers.”** _

**_“Why him?”_ **

**_“He’s barely managed to keep his wings!”_ **

**_“He’ll mess up for sure! We can’t afford to send our worst for such a path! Steve Rogers is too valuable to lose!”_ **

**_“It has been decided!” The Messenger's voice drowned out all the others. “Anthony has been chosen to guide Steve Rogers,” Gabriel announced. “and there will be none other.” He hissed._ **

**_“Come, Anthony. We must prepare you for your journey.”_ **

**It was at times like these when he missed his mentor, Jarvis, desperately. It wouldn’t be long before he forgot the man entirely so he wanted to remember what he could. Jarvis was the perfect embodiment of an angel, and his silvery blond hair and cornflower blue eyes did nothing to disabuse one of that notion. The moment he opened his mouth, though, one just knew whatever came out would be a joke of some sort. He joked a lot. It almost made Anthony wish that he would wake up back in Heaven and this would be all one big joke played by some forsaken asshole with a grudge and the Angel-borne ability to make others see what they wanted.**

**Demons had them as well, and in stronger doses, to boot. It was how he tricked humans for… how long had he been in Hell, anyway? Long enough to establish such a presence that when he left, someone begged him to take them with him.**

**He wondered if that being would be joining him anytime soon. As per standard protocol, he was already forgetting most of what the afterlife was like before this very moment. Soon, he would be overrun by memories of a boy who would never have been alive if it weren’t for this assignment. If he could remember those two beings, even if it was just their names, perhaps this new life would be more bearable.**

**“Who’s at?” A tiny voice coughed out. Anthony glanced up to find that his charge was wide awake… and was greatly in need of water. He trotted over to the table beside Steve’s bed and lifted the cup of water to his lips. The boy sucked down the water to the point that Anthony had to wrestle the feeble boy away.**

**“None of that, now. The last thing we need is for you to choke.” Anthony informed him.**

**“Who are you?” Steve rasped.**

**“Name’s Tony, I live down the street.” Anthony lied. He would, anyway. It was all set up: He would live at a Boys’ Home not far from the Rogers house. He would walk over here every day after chores at the House and make sure that this house was as spic and span as it could be. He would help Sarah prepare their meals and make sure Steve took his medicine and let Sarah take a break every now and then. In another six or so years, he would have a steadyish job that brought a bit more of something into the Rogers house, even if it was never enough of what they needed.**

**Most of all, he would protect Steve in whatever ways necessary.**

**That was his job, and Anthony was the last person allowed to deviate from a given assignment.**

**Steve never really got better, what with the myriad of illnesses that came and sometimes went but often stayed, but he lived and it was Anthony’s job to make sure that he lived well. Most of the time he stuck by Steve’s side, doing his best to keep him out of trouble, but trouble clung to Steve Rogers like a second skin. If he wasn’t already in it then he was going to be. Anthony eventually gave up on keeping him out of everything and settled for keeping him out of major things. Trying the former had led to many arguments between the frail youth and his guardian, which often led to Steve doing the exact opposite of whatever Tony suggested just to get on his nerves. Steve had started calling him Tony during one of his more serious bouts, where breath could hardly be wasted on something as silly as an extra syllable. Mrs. Rogers had taken notice of the dark-haired boy that had suddenly appeared in her son’s life and while she was grateful for the extra help, she couldn’t help but worry about the strange boy. When she took Tony Robinson aside to ask him about his parents, he shook his head.**

**“I no longer have parents, Mrs. Rogers, but I’ve been fine so far.” He assured her. She decided that he was not and continued to care for him the way he helped care for her son**.

_** March 1932 ** _

“Hey, buddy, you know a guy by the name of Barnes?”

“Sure, why you looking for him?”

“His friend’s sicker than usual.”

“Aw. Stevie? That kid’s got every ailment under the sun. Sometimes it’s all the dockers can do to send Barnes home with the extra tips for less work cuz that kid would die without ‘im. Though lately, they’ve got other people coming around. I don’t suppose we know them, though. What’d you say your name was?”

“Barnes. Can you get him?”

“Yeah, it’ll be a minute, though. He’s up by the cat-booths. Why you looking?!”

“Not your problem, pal. Thanks for the info.”

“Tony? How long you have to wait on the phone?”

“Don’t worry about that. Steve’s fever is worse than usual. Ice doesn’t help and I know there’s something else you give him but he says that’s for his mother, who is also sick, by the way-.”

“Shit. Gimme a sec, I need to clock out early. You and Pepper can’t handle them both sick.”

“Pep’s at work, Buck, I took off once your sister called me for help.”

“You can’t just… Goddammit, Tony, that’s the fifth job this month. You know how lucky you’re getting? You can’t keep taking off without so much as a warning just cuz Stevie’s got a fever.”

“So does his mother. And neither of them are responding well. It’s unusual circumstances, they know what’s what.”

“I fuckin guess… one of these days, your luck will run out.”

“Right alongside with Pepper, it sure will.” Tony scoffed.

They both knew Gertrude Potts wasn’t going anywhere.

“Tell you what, keep stacking boxes. I’ll figure it out.”

“Tony-.”

“I’ve got this, Buck. I’ve been around a bit longer, I know what’s what. Just wanted to run you the message.”

“Sure. Thanks.”

_** April 1943 ** _

“It’s the City of Tomorrow, Stevie, normally you’d be all over it. For the sculptures, if nothing else.”

The redheaded woman before him reminded Steve so desperately of Sarah Rogers that it took everything in him not to lean forward and hug her.

“I’m just not in the mood, Trudy,” Steve admitted. “If Tony had his way, he’d drag me to every other booth that doesn’t have the words Military Enlistment on them and Bucky will just geek out over Howard Stark’s latest dud.”

“Don’t be a fathead, they’ll both geek out, it’s Howard Stark’s shit. The sentiment stands. I’m going to see my husband for the first time in four years and you’re coming with me.”

“Sure, Trudy. Whatever.”

“Call me Trudy again and I’ll mace you, how ‘bout that?”

“Yes, Pepper.” Steve replied dully.

The resemblance was a little less uncanny when Gertrude Potts switched gears like she just had, but damn if Steve didn’t miss his mother.

“So we’re going to the Expo, yes?”

“Sure.”

“Where you’re not going to do anything stupid.”

“For a given definition of stupid.”

“Steven Grant Rogers-.”

“Full names, Gertrude, really?”

“Don’t test me on this. You’ve been downright ungrateful as of late when all Bucky wants is to keep you alive and whole.”

“What, and that’s not all you want either?”

“If I could give you a miracle, you know I would.” Gertrude sighed. “I’m sorry you’re having such a rough go of it, but you can’t just shut yourself inside all the time. You have to live your life for what it gives you.”

“Yeah, sure, enjoy life. Right. I’d enjoy it even better if I had proper lungs or regular blood pressure.”

“I said _live_ , dumbass, which you’re less likely to do if you keep trying to serve like the rest of our esteemed countrymen. They’ve got Tony and Bucky. Why can’t that be enough?”

“Because I’m not a dame, _Gertrude_. I should be able to serve as much as the boys down the block.”

“Some of them can’t serve either. They’re looking for strong healthy strapping young men who can lift four times their weight.” Pepper mocked. “You think Jack, who got his hand chopped off at the factory, is going to do them any good?”

“I’m not a cripple, I was born with this!”

“And you’re lucky to have lived that long, you selfish, foolish, reckless boy!” Pepper snarled. “Fuck, Steve, you think serving your country is the ultimate goal but you’ll die out there. Tony and Bucky will die out there and so will half the boys from around here.”

“Tony got deferred, didn’t he? I don’t see you harping on him for finding another way to join.”

“He didn’t go looking for it.” Pepper sneered. “Those people found him because he was too smart. Come into the office with me tomorrow. If you want to join the war effort so bad, work in the factories. We need all the help we can get.”

“When the hell did you get a new job, Pepper?!” Steve yelped, surprised.

“About the time Uncle Sam got desperate for hands, I’d say.”

“You never said-.”

“You never asked, Steve. But you’ve got more important stuff to deal with, so I didn’t expect you to. I’ve been harder on you than I should have.” Pepper admitted.

“You’re not wrong to be.”

“It’s your life. You’re the only one living it. It just feels like you’re so ready to throw it away because, what, _my country needs me, Donna!_ ”

“Aw shit. No wonder you’ve been taking it personally. I completely forgot about your older brother, Pep.”

“There’s not much for it, Steve. Come with me to the factory tomorrow. The girls will love you there. We need someone to handle errands, and if you’ve got time to get in fights behind movie theaters, you’ve got time to take a message or two.”

“Aw, Pep-!”

“Don't you ‘aw, Pep.’ me, Steven. I can’t afford to keep macing those idiots who pick on you but you just keep baiting them.”

“That guy deserved it! He kept badmouthing the troops.”

“Then sure, he deserved something but you didn’t have to give it to him! At the rate you’re going-. Fuck. No. I can’t keep going there. It’s not fair to either of us.”

“Pepper-.”

“You do what you want, Steve, but just keep in mind that Bucky is shipping out soon. It will literally just be me and Becca looking after your scrawny ass, and you know what I’m like.”

“Sure, Pep. I’ll be good. Or try.”

“That’s all I can ask for, I guess.”

_** April 1943- at the Stark Expo ** _

Pepper dragged him to the Expo and Bucky kept a close enough eye on him that Steve knew he wasn’t getting away anytime soon.

“I don’t know what your problem is. You’re about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know, there’s three and a half million women here.”

“Including me.” Pepper scoffed sarcastically.

“Of course not.” A new voice floated from behind them. “She’s practically raising him.”

Pepper turned and launched herself forward with a squeal, easily caught by the man behind her.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Pepper exclaimed, kissing his cheek.

“You look rough, Tony,” Bucky noted, eyeing the newcomer warily. “I thought you were an engineer.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Tony replied easily, setting Pepper on her feet but happy to keep her close. “We’re at war just as much as the guys on the front lines.”

“Right… hear that, Steve? It doesn’t matter.” Bucky drawled, annoyed. “Now, there’s a pair of beautiful ladies waiting to be our dates tonight. Whaddya say we leave these two lovebirds to their lonesome and check out the rest of the fair?”

“Just a sec,” Steve grumbled as Tony pulled him in for a hug.

“Alright, Stevie?” Tony asked in a low concerned voice. “Heard you’ve been getting into it lately.”

“I’m just fine, Anthony, thank you very much.” Steve ground out, breaking the hold. “And your wife is a rat.”

“You’re damn right I am!” Pepper spat.

Tony cuffed him lightly on the back of his head.

“She’s not the one who told me, asshole, take it easy. And try not to do anything stupid. We’re here to have fun, so ease up.”

“I’ll just find something else to do.”

“Sure thing, kid, enjoy yourself. That’s what it’s for.”

Steve didn’t have long to wander before the crowd swept him forward to the stage that held Howard Stark’s latest inventions. The main attraction was a Cadillac, a car that only a rich man could afford.

 _He probably bought it all in one go,_ Steve mused bitterly.

The man himself strolled onto the stage with an unconcerned air, more than willing to let the performance he was putting on speak for him.

He dipped the announcer into a sweeping kiss that had the girls screeching. One shouted, “I love you, Howard!” as he winked at the crowd.

Steve couldn’t bring himself to be all that excited. All hope of getting anywhere near an enlistment booth were out the window now that Tony actually found them at the fair. He wouldn’t take an eye off Steve for a second if he could help it. Neither would Pepper or Bucky, but they were easier to slip past. Tony always seemed to know exactly where he was and exactly what he was up to.

His thoughts were cut off by the gasp of the crowd and the whir of the car as it hovered a few inches off the ground… for a grand total of five seconds.

“I did say a few years, yeah?” Howard Stark laughed awkwardly.

The crowd laughed along with him which quickly turned into cheering him on.

Steve snorted and weaved his way through the crowd, observing the fair as he went along.

“Oh, there he is! Hey Stevie!” Bucky called from behind him, still in the thick of the crowd. “Stevie!”

Steve ignored him and made his way to the exhibits he saw earlier. The fake man-thing from earlier, the monorail overhead… there were a few more exhibits until he found what he was looking for.

“You better not.” A familiar foreboding voice insisted.

“Tony-.”

“I know what you’re doing.”

“Of fuckin course you do, you always know what I’m up to, but if you would just let me try, you’d see-.”

“See what, exactly? Other than you looking for trouble yet again?” Tony drawled.

“I know what I’m doing. See that.” Steve grumbled before stalking towards the booth.

“I know that you’re going to get yourself killed.” Tony insisted. “You know what you’re doing, but at what cost? You wanna get shot so bad, I could have a friend of mine invite you to his place and get that handled. You want to, what, run for your life? Watch somebody die in your arms? Do five pushups then fall over and die because your lungs fucked you over?”

“I want to do what every other guy out there gets to do! What you and Bucky are gonna go back to. Why can’t you let me have that?!”

“Oh, right, because it’s such a brave new world out there that you’re just dying to be part of it. Literally, before long.” Tony snorted darkly, giving him an unimpressed look.

“You don’t get to shove my inabilities in my face.” Steve insisted coldly.

“It’s not that you can’t do anything, it’s that you can’t do this specifically. There are other jobs that contribute to the war effort just the same.”

“Right, collect scrap metal, start a food garden, darn your socks-.”

“Work in a factory, go find a grocery store, do admin work at the docks, go feed pigs on a farm upstate, for all I give a shit.” Tony snapped.

“You just don’t want me to fight.”

“Ever think about why?”

“Can’t say I have,” Steve admitted. “Can’t say I care. If I stick around here, I’m labeled a coward or worse. Would you rather see me dead on the front lines or come back and hear someone beat the shit outta me?”

“That’s not-.”

“Going to happen? You wanna take that chance? Because I don’t.” Steve insisted.

“Steve…”

“Go find Pepper, okay? Take your last night with her and have some fun. I’ll be fine.”

“You will,” Tony informed him sharply. “You better.”

Steve pushed past him and entered the enlistment booth.


	2. Chapter 2

“So, you want to want to go overseas, kill some Nazis.” Erskine had introduced himself in the coldest way possible, and if it weren’t for what was being offered, Steve would have ducked out right then. No doubt, the nurse and the soldier that had been there previously were just outside the tent.

“Excuse me?” was all Steve could think to say. Going overseas was the likeliest choice, but he’d be just as fine defending Hawaii from another attack. At least it would be doing something.

He definitely didn’t want to kill anyone. He didn’t really know how.

He sharply asked where the man was from and he, a scientist, announced two locations, one a street address about a borough away and one an entirely different country.

No, Steve didn’t care where the man was from. He was here for a reason.

He was here, apparently, to call Steve out for doing what the poster said was illegal. And offer him a way in anyway.

It took everything Steve had to get through the first week of boot camp. All the running and exercise and think-fast and do-this-a-hundred-times… at his lowest, he was almost tempted to write Tony and tell the man how right he was. But that would entail him being brave enough to tell his oldest friend that he actually got accepted to the army… and the stipulations that came with this “chance.”

Which he wouldn’t do. Not ever. Tony would yell at him for hours, possibly days on end. The world would run out of oxygen before Anthony Robinson quit yelling at him for what he’s pulled.

But he’s here. It’s what he wanted. He can’t back out now.

He can’t back out now. That’s all he can get to run through his mind when he emerges from what he originally thought was an antique shop into what is clearly the layer of a mad scientist.

And mad scientists, they were.

Howard Stark was working the controls and Erskine’s formula would be pumping through his veins. He couldn’t back out now.

Good thing Bucky was the claustrophobic one, Steve mused as the penicillin was administered. Good thing Tony was the one who was afraid of needles, Steve mused as he grit his teeth and later on howled his anguish at what had to be the most painful thing he’s ever encountered.

They almost call it off. They almost call it off. Steve can feel the needles slipping in and out of his skin as they attempt to end the procedure and he calls out that he can do it. All he asked for was a chance, and he got one. He can’t back out now.

He staggers out of the iron-lung-type chamber the same scrawny fool he’s always been. He doesn’t feel any different. Except that he can breathe and somehow his body knows that he can withstand a bit more. He pants loudly, taking in big gulps of air for the first time in his life and relishing the taste. He wasn’t coughing. He felt like he could run for a block straight and not collapse afterward. He felt like he was on top of the world… until someone infiltrated the lab and everyone was thrown back by a blast and a gun went off and suddenly he was bleeding because…

because he’d reached Erskine before the bullets did.

But the man who did this was getting away, and that couldn’t happen. It just couldn’t!

So he bolted. Out of the antique shop, rounding corners and crashing into people like a bull in a china shop. He hopped up on cars and all but soared through the streets, staggering but going faster than he’d ever dreamed of…

 _Focus!_ He could not afford to lose sight of that car.

At least Peggy shot it for him, made it easier to chase the guy to the docks.

Where he fucking kidnapped a young boy. Fuck this guy.

Steve bolted as only he could and luckily, the gun was empty anyway. The child was tossed aside on the pier as Steve swam after the fucker who tried to kill them all.

The bastard didn’t even make it to his precious submarine. Steve banged his head against it and swan up to the dock.

“Who are you?!” He rasped when they were both back on the pier. The man was spitting up copious amounts of water, more than the human body was meant to handle at once. That didn’t matter to Steve. He needed answers.

“Talk, you sonuvagun, who are you?! Who’d you do this for?!”

“The first of many…” The man spat out importantly. “Cut off one head and two more take its place. Hail Hydra!”

The man was foaming at the mouth now, and it was all Steve could do to get as far away from him as possible. Apparently, Hydra gave their guys rabies before a mission and Steve wasn’t sticking around for the aftermath.

Luckily, Agent Carter and the rest caught up to him.

About time, he thinks wryly as he slumps over beside the closest car he could find. He was exhausted from all that running. The others could take it from here.

* * *

He woke up in an army hospital. He knew it was an army hospital because there were rows of empty beds with bars on either end and they were slightly more comfortable than any bed he’s ever slept on. He half-expected Pepper to be there, ready to lay out what stupid thing he’d done this time and how she was going grey just looking at him.

Instead of ginger hair and green eyes, he got brown hair and eyes set in the same worried expression he figured Pepper would be wearing.

“You’re not Pepper.” He mumbled, exhausted.

“No,” The woman at his bedside admitted. “Peggy Carter, at your service.”

“You… you’re with Erskine and Stark.”

“Yes, among others. We’re with the Strategic Scientific Reserve.”

“Think Tony said something about Science. E’s an engineer or something. But I don’t think he’s with you.”

“No, I can’t say I’ve heard of Tony or Pepper.” Peggy offered apologetically.

“Is better if they don’t know. My friends wouldn’t be too happy with me.”

“Because you joined the army?”

“Keep talkin’ about losing me when I’m more likely to lose them.” Steve scowled. “Like em well enough, good friends. Guess it’s me who’s not good enough.”

“If that’s what they think, then maybe they’re not your friends.”

“They are. They just scared. Everyone’s scared. Maybe not Bucky. I don’t think Bucky was scared of anything.”

“Bucky sounds like a very brave man.”

“He is. So’s Tony and so’s Pepper… I guess they were right to be scared.”

The next time he woke up, he was still in an army hospital. He didn’t call for Pepper. She wasn’t here and if she knew what was good for her, she’d never leave Brooklyn. Or the city in general. Steve didn’t want to say that he made a mistake. He didn’t. He could breathe now, he could run now, he could probably do a million push-ups in a row, he could hold a proper conversation without stopping to cough every ten seconds-.

“You saved my life.” He heard.

Yes, that would be a bonus of this experiment. Especially considering that’s what he signed up to do.

“You saved my life… and now I must do what is necessary to save yours.”

Steve has no idea what Erskine is talking about and honestly, he’s a bit scared to find out. Not too scared, though. After all, he did sign up for this.

* * *

He didn’t quite sign up for this. When they said he would get a chance to be on the front lines, he thought he would be just another man with a gun fighting other men with guns and the only difference between them would be uniforms. His uniform marked him a good man, a member of the US Army, someone who saved people. Theirs marked them as people who hurt others for no reason, who wanted nothing more than to conquer the world. There was a clear difference, it was decided. Sure, by other people.

Not by him, apparently. He was known as the Speedster on the road. Twenty gals, the guy who played Hitler, the one who kept their costumes, the one who kept their makeup. They weren’t the biggest team in the grand scheme of things, and they went around the country dancing and singing and shouting and putting on play after play and if he didn’t know any better he’d say he was turning tricks on his government’s dime.

The showgirls assured him that he was needed for a reason. After all, Hitler wasn’t a woman and they certainly couldn’t take him out. It was simply unheard of. So whatever the hell he needed to do to get over himself would have to happen, because those kids needed him as much as any soldier did.

All Steve could think of is how much Bucky and Tony would howl laughing at his dopey costume of red-white-and-blue lightning bolts.

 _America will speed through this war all by itself_ , was one of the cheesier lines. Along with some load of bull about war bonds, but he didn’t know much about saving that kind of money so who was he to tell people how to use theirs?

Captain America, apparently. The speediest guy on the planet, _able to punch Hitler, save the gals, and be back in time for dinner, just like your guys overseas!_

It came to a head when he was scheduled to perform for actual soldiers.

Considering that was his literal job and he’s done it before, this wasn’t any trouble. He did the first routine and got blank stares. Alright, he would be fucked up too if he’d just come back from shooting people and some asshole in red white and blue was feeding him propaganda lines.

So he switched it up a bit.

As long as he got permission from the manager when he showed them the outline of whatever sketch he’d come up with, he was golden. This was one he’s fallen back on when the folks he visited were particularly tired and wanted more than what they heard around town. They wanted reassurance.

It can’t stay this way forever, can it? Some unknown number of mothers, wives, and sisters begged. You have to bring them home for dinner someday. You have to.

Alright.

“Who’s eaten in the last twelve hours?” He demanded. “Stand up if you have.”

That was a cue for the girls to go around with bread in their hands or an apple or whatever cheap local fare they could scrounge up. In a large crowd, they could only do the first couple rows so they often asked for a certain number of volunteers. That wasn’t a problem here.

“Alright, now folks back home like to call me a Speedster. You all got some form of food there now. If you’re hungry, eat it. If not, throw it at me. If I’m as good as I say, I’ll catch it and start juggling. Either way, you get dinner and a show.”

They obliged eagerly, and as the food came flying, Steve jumped and leaped and sprang, snagging bread chunks and tomatoes and apples and tossing them from hand to hand in a neat circle of objects. He bet if he had a unicycle this would be a real circus.

Later on, Peggy finds him sketching out exactly how he feels about this whole charade after what is technically considered a successful show.

“That was quite the performance.” She offered in an unimpressed drawl. Up until recently, he figured only a handful of people could make him feel that small with just a look and a few words in the right tone, but he’s learned the hard way that it’s a human trait.

“Yeah, had to improvise. Crowds full of twelve-year-olds don’t just get left on their lonesome and the adults can see past the propaganda just fine. They know they aren’t getting their guys back by dinner.”

“So you let them hurl literal abuse at you to make them feel better?”

“I can catch it.” Steve deadpanned. “Makes for a fantastic workout if their aim is any good.”

“But you still feel some way about it.” Peggy noted, eyeing the sketch.

“Better a dancing monkey than a lab rat.” Steve bit out. “Which, since I was unconscious for a number of hours, possibly days, might have happened anyway. I hope they got what they needed.”

“You were meant for more than this.” Peggy urged.

“And who are you to say so?” Steve drawled, annoyed. “I’ve spent the past few years trying to get on the front lines because you best believe I wasn’t always like this, and when I finally do, it’s as a sideshow. I’m turning tricks and signing autographs. What exactly do you think will happen if Erskine can’t whip up another serum? Be mightly unfortunate if they used it all on some kid so sick he couldn’t even work at a factory for five minutes.”

Steve glanced up when the background noise of the camo started getting louder. An ambulance rolled up to the medics’ tent as a platoon of soldiers entered the camp.

“But what am I grumbling about?” He snorted. “They’ve clearly been through Hell.”

“These more than most.” Peggy offered knowingly.

“So Hydra got to them.”

“Not officially.”

“Might as well have, then.”

Peggy hesitated, and Steve wondered what she knew about this unit that was so deadly she couldn’t say it aloud.

“Schmidt was moving a force through Azzano.” She said at last. “Two-hundred men went up against them, less than fifty came back. Your audience contained all that’s left of the 107th. The rest were killed or captured.”

Ah, Steve thought as his mind went blank. That would do it.

He was on his feet before he knew what he was doing and dragging Peggy along with him.

“Slow down,” She snapped. “or you’ll pop my arm off!”

Shit.

Steve froze at that and Peggy narrowly avoided crashing into him.

“What exactly is your plan, Steve?”

“Bucky wasn’t in that audience. There are exactly three people in this world who give a shit about Steve Rogers. Two of them are out on the front lines and one of them apparently is somewhere I know how to get to. I just want to see what Philips knows of the situation before I go.”

“Go _where_ Steve? And how?”

“Well with luck, I can run as fast as I dodge,” Steve smirked before he ducked into the tent.

“Well well well, if it isn’t everyone’s favorite Speedster,” Philips drawls as someone clacks away at a typewriter. “What else do they call you, the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan… and what exactly is your plan, son?”

“I need the casualty list from Azzano.”

“And Erskine might need you for more testing in the near future, so why don’t you go find him?”

“The casualty list, sir. My brother might be on it. I need to know.”

“Name.”

“James Barnes.”

“I’ve signed dozens of these in the last hour alone, gone through them all to make sure they had the right wording and everything. Barnes… sounds familiar. If he’s not here, then I’m sorry, son.”

“Father died in the previous war. Where could they be?”

“Look around, kid, where do you think? Behind enemy lines, for sure.”

“Will there be a rescue going out for them?”

“Rogers, if we could rescue every man behind enemy lines, we’d win the war for sure.” Philips offered dryly. “As it is, winning the war is the closest chance we have. I’m sorry, son, but your brother can wait with all the other captured soldiers. We’ll get to them at some point.”

 _Bullshit,_ Steve thought as he nodded his thanks and backed out of the tent.

“Erskine wants you for testing in half an hour. If that senator asks, tell him you’ve got somewhere to be.”

“I will, sir.”

 _Just not with Erskine,_ Steve determined.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve goes to resue the 107th. While speed makes it slightly easier, not everything is sunshine and roses.

Peggy found Steve shoving a number of items into a bag.

“You’re not really going to look all over Azzano, are you?” 

“If I have to. It’s not that far away.” 

“And if it turns out they’re in Austria like that map says?” 

“Well, then I’ll go there too.” 

“Steve, that’s madness! On top of that, this isn’t juggling! Do you know how far you can run or how fast you can go before you need to take a break?”

“Guess I’ll find out.” 

“No, you won’t.” Peggy snapped. “Because that’s bullshit and you know it. You’re not afraid of heights, are you?” 

“Not really fond of them.” 

“Too bad, Howard has a plane. We can figure out the rest from there. It’ll take a while to set up, so you should see Erskine for that testing, anyway. If only to get some pointers on your newfound abilities.” 

Steve nodded and they hashed out a plan to meet. He was lucky that Peggy was willing to go this far for him. She could lose a lot over this… but so could he and so could those men. If Hydra was after Erskine, they must want the Serum for themselves. If they figure something out before he makes up another batch, it’s all over for whoever else they get their hands on.

With that in mind, he grills Erskine during his testing. The particulars of the Serum are better left to geniuses like Howard Stark and engineers like Tony, but if he knew what to look for when he rescued the others then hopefully he could do something with that knowledge. Namely, see if it’s been tested on any of the captured soldiers.

“While it is not a terrible thing to find someone so interested in my work, you seem awfully curious,” Erskine noted. 

“Just want to make sure whoever gets this next batch knows what they’re in for.” Steve offered. “I think the Serum focused so much on curing all my ailments, all it had left was the ability to boost what I could do well. I pride myself on standing my ground, but I was never a good fighter. Anyone from my block could tell you that.” 

Erskine hummed in acknowledgment and wrote that down. 

“That seems like something to look into. Especially since the other candidates will be far healthier than you were. Thank you for your insight, Captain Rogers. You are free to go.”

Steve nodded and left the lab set up for Dr. Erskine. It was around the time that Peggy said she and Howard would meet him outside the barracks. He couldn’t afford to be late. 

  
  


The plane they were on was almost ten years old and rattled like an ice-cream bike on a summer’s day if ice-cream bikes were wild and flying down the streets they served. SteKreeve and Peggy poured over a map replicating the one hung in Phillips’ tent. 

“The camp is in Kreischberg, Austria, between these two mountain ranges. It’s a factory of some kind.” Peggy informed Steve.

“With the cover of the mountains, we should be able to drop you off right at their front door,” Howard added. 

“And get this thing riddled with holes? I’ll pass. A few miles out and I should be able to run the rest of the way.” 

“You sound like you’re ready to run for the rest of your life,” Peggy noted. 

“Haven’t been able to do much of that before, why not test my limits?” 

“Just as long as you know what those limits are, Rogers.” 

Steve snickered at the brunette’s words. 

“You sound just like Pepper.” He snickered. “Always worried about something you can’t control. I’ll be fine, Agent Carter.” 

“Pepper your girl?” Howard wondered as he navigated the plane. 

“God, no. I should be so lucky, but that’s not my lot in life. Tony’s her man. He’s been my friend since I was eight years old and I met Pepper when I was fourteen. I met Bucky when I was nine or ten. And wow, I just realized I’m going to rescue Bucky.” 

“Not getting cold feet, are you?” 

“No, no, absolutely not. It’s just that, well, he and Tony wrote each other before Bucky shipped out. And Tony writes Pepper as often as he can. If Bucky still writes Tony and Pepper gets wind of all this, the three of them will blow my ears off with all their screeching. I am not looking forward to that.” 

“I’d take worried friends over a gunshot wound any day.” Peggy offered, amused. 

“Well, stick around after all this. If you ever meet them you’ll see what I mean. Speaking of worried friends, you two should get going as soon as you drop me off.” 

“We can handle ourselves, Captain,” Howard assured Steve. As if to prove it, he directed his next question to Peggy. 

“Agent Carter, what do you say after all this we could stop off in Lucerne for a little late-night fondue?” 

“You utter bastard!” Steve grumbled, annoyed. “How could you be talking about food at a time like this? And fondue?! That's fancy cheese, ain’t it? Save some of that for me, Pepper loves the fancy cheese and she would worship the ground you walked on if I got her some of that stuff.” 

“Howard’s being an ass, he’ll fly your friend to Lucerne when we get back and we can all have some cheese. For right now, take this transponder. Press it when you’re ready to go and the signal it gives off will lead us right to you.” 

Steve noted the Stark Industries logo stamped on it and snorted. 

“You sure it works?” He asked, recalling the flying car. 

“Thing’s been tested more than you have.” Howard deadpanned. “You’ll be fine-.” 

Howard was cut off by a hail of gunfire from tanks designed to bring down planes. Steve snorted and went for a parachute towards the jump door. 

“What are you doing?! We’re taking you all the way in!” 

“In this weather?” Steve scoffed. “Doubt it! Get out as soon as you can.” 

“You can’t order us around!” Peggy insisted as she leapt to her feet. Steve braced against the jump door and forced himself not to look down. 

“Sure I can, I’m Captain America!” He crowed before he jumped out of the plane. 

The remaining occupants swore as the plane took more fire and Peggy was forced back into her seat. 

“That’s that on that!” Howard exclaimed, annoyed, as he did his best to get them back in one piece. 

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Getting to the prisoners wasn’t as easy as jumping off a plane, but it did involve as much sneaking around. The thing about being small is that he could fit into tight spaces a lot easier than Tony or Bucky. The SSR expected his size to change after the Serum, but Steve was more than happy to stay this wiry even if he is a bit less scrawny than he was. Because it’s easier now to do things like hold onto the underside of a moving truck as it transports him to camp. 

He knocks out the guard who came to inspect the last truck and crept through the night, watching for guards but keeping an eye out for the train of roughed up prisoners trudging across the compound. He follows them at a distance and eventually they all reach the barracks, where he can’t see them anymore. That’s fine, because he can hear a lot more than he ever could. All he has to do now is follow the sounds of grumbling soldiers who aren’t speaking exclusively in German and knock out whatever guards try getting in his way. 

Turns out, he doesn’t even have to do much fighting. He reaches the imprisoned soldiers in no time and the warden goes down easily enough that some of the prisoners let out a shout of surprise when Steve is the one who appears before them. 

“Who are you supposed to be?” One of them coughed, obviously unimpressed by his state. 

“Fastest man alive.” Steve reported. “And the only one freeing you.”

He rifles through the keys he snagged from the warden and goes down the line, opening cage after cage of exhausted soldiers who are raring to go as soon as they see the way out. 

“What, are we taking everybody?” Someone snorted. 

“I’m from Fresno, ace.” 

“If you want to stay here and get worked to death or experimented on, be my guest.” Steve sniped loudly as he passed out several of the weapons he’d been able to grab before he left the camp or hijack from the guards. “Are there any others?” 

“There’s an isolation ward. Like you said, prisoners are experimented on. But no one ever comes back from there.” One of the soldiers informs him. 

“The tree line’s northwest, about 80 yards from the gate. From there, just follow the creek bed. I’ll meet you in the clearing with whoever I find inside.” 

One of the soldiers stops him, concerned. 

“You sure you know what you’re doing?” 

“Well, if anyone gets in my way, I can knock em out or fly past them.” Steve offered before leaving the men to their own devices. 

Chaos breaks out as the soldiers riot and make their escape. Steve downs most of the guards he comes across by surprising them and either punching them or knocking them against something. Sometimes it takes two punches. He gets one of them to lead him to the isolation ward at gunpoint and then bashes the guy’s head against the wall so hard that he might have killed him. 

“There are freed soldiers outside making their way to the woods.” He told the men inside. “Can you find your way to them?” 

“Yeah,” A familiar voice scowls. 

Tony… what was he doing here?! 

“We’ll figure something out.” Tony says. “Some of us got experimented on, there’s likely someone still in the labs.”

Steve nodded and bolted off, following the directions that Tony gave him. 

End of the hall, make a left, end of the hall, make a right, end of another hall, another right… open space. 

Sure enough, there were several men strapped to various tables and chairs. He undid the straps and groups them together, leading the stumbling, lethargic group of men back to the now-empty isolation ward. 

“Steve!” One of the soldiers called out. Bucky, this time. “What… What is this? What happened to you?” 

“Joined the army.” Steve deadpanned as he kicked a guard down a random hall and led the men the other way. 

“Did it hurt?” Bucky wondered. “Is it permanent?” 

“Yes to both.” Steve snorted.

Bombs start going off not far from where they are and the soldiers break into a run. Steve shouts instructions as he watches the men go down the hall and runs in the other direction. 

“Steven Grant Rogers, you better not!” Bucky snarls from behind him. Steve glances back and shakes his head. 

“There might be more soldiers.” 

Bucky groaned and ambled forward on shaky legs. 

“Let’s go, then.” He growled. “And we should make this quick. Since the place is exploding and all.” 

There were, in fact, other soldiers, Steve and Bucky found out as Steve grabbed his friend and carried him on piggyback through the compound. Not all of them were Allied soldiers, but they got out nonetheless. No one could afford to be picky here. Steve and Bucky were about ready to give it a rest and leave when they ran into the man behind all this, one Johann Schmidt. He’d seen the man’s likeness all over the SSR command tents, but the photos never did his ugliness any justice. 

“Captain America! How exciting! I’m a great fan of your films. So Dr. Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement, but still impressive.” 

Steve lunges for the other man and manages to get a hit in. Schmidt’s head rolls back with a satisfying crack.

“You’ve got no idea.”

“Haven’t I?” Schmidt crowed, attempting to return the favor but meeting Steve’s shield instead. “No matter what lies Erskine told you, you see I was his greatest success!”

The man proceeds to _peel off his face_ and Steve suddenly knows why the man’s likeness was so damn ugly. It was no longer his face, if it ever had been. Johan Schmidt’s entire head shone a bright crimson, and if it weren’t for the fact that he was talking and breathing, Steve would have thought he was looking at a bright red skeleton.

“You don’t have one of those, do you?” Bucky panted, alarmed. 

“Nope,” Steve yelped as the catwalk started to split and the insane Nazi scientists made their escape. “so thank God and Mary for that. And hold on.” 

With those words, Steve backs up and sprang for the other side of the rapidly widening cavern that was now exploding beneath him. 

He and Bucky landed roughly but they were on stable enough flooring that Steve could easily get to his feet and find the exit. Following the trail Schmidt and Zola left behind was easy enough, especially since his sense of smell was one of the many things that got tested after the Serum. It was no trouble to find where and how they split up, but by the time Steve and Bucky got outside, the madmen were gone. 

Steve debated the effectiveness of launching himself at the plane. 

“Not worth it.” Bucky rasped. “You saved a shitton of us just now. We’ll catch him later.” 

“Fine.” Steve grumbled. “But at least let me get Zola. Gotta bring back something to prove my worth.” 

Steve made sure Bucky got to the treeline where the other soldiers waited before taking off further into the forest. The car was fast, but apparently Steve was faster. And stronger. He punched a hole straight through the hood of the car and caught the man when he flew forward. 

“You, my friend, will be treated to the hospitalities of Allied forces. And you better have something to say when you get there.” 


	4. Chapter 4

It was a week-long walk back to the camp in Italy, and all of it was filled with bickering, squabbling, hungry, exhausted men who were coming off of an adrenaline high. It was a lot to deal with, but Steve didn’t take his hands or eyes off Zola for one damn second. The man was shuffled around as Steve checked on each soldier and passed out medical supplies and rationed out food and guns. When Steve slept for maybe a few hours a night, Zola was right there with him, guarded by at least four men with guns pointed at him and not afraid to use them. If it weren’t for the lengthy explanation Steve gave about needing Zola alive, they’d have shot him already. 

It was a long two days walk to the camp back in Italy, but they made it. 

Right as Peggy was about to lose her job, it seemed. 

“Sir, this is Arnim Zola, Hydra scientist.” Steve informed Colonel Phillips. “The men behind me are going to need medical attention. And when this is over, I’ll take whatever discipline is handed out.”

“That won’t be necessary, Rogers. You can let go of the man. We’ll take it from here.” 

Steve dipped his head and wandered back to where the freed prisoners were.

“Hey!” One of the guys from the barracks yelled. “Let’s hear it for Captain America!” 

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“I must admit, Captain Rogers, that you’ve surpassed even my expectations for you.” 

Erskine was doing well enough, considering he was cooped up with Stark and all the rest attempting to make another batch of the Serum that ran through Steve’s veins. It was slow-going work, and not likely to be complete before the war’s end. For now, they were stuck with one Steven Grant Rogers… but at least he’d started to prove he was worth the risk.

“The drink!” Steve crowed, noticing the bottle and glasses in Erskine’s hand. 

“Yes indeed, my good man, you deserve it after saving, what, four-hundred men, at least.” 

“I’ll gladly take it, even if it’s just for the taste. Did you know I can’t get drunk from alcohol?” 

“I guessed that a high metabolism would mean any effects would be burned through rather quickly, but not that you’d be completely immune. Interesting… and likely good for poison as well. Not that you should try, Steven. Please do not get poisoned on my watch.” 

“I won’t be poisoned on anyone’s watch, sir, especially not since my friends are around to keep me in check.” 

“Ah, yes, I met Sapper Robinson in the medic tent. We’ll be working together quite a bit, since he’s an engineer like Mr. Stark.”

“Huh. I knew he wasn’t blowing smoke when he said they would have him travel with other soldiers, but I didn’t know it was that serious. I hope he does well with you and Mr. Stark.”

“I’m sure he will. Madmen, both of them. Come now, we drink, yes?” 

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“You just embarrassed the hell out of Senator Brandt in front of a dozen reporters and ten members of Parliament.” Colonel Chester Phillips snapped shut a newspaper with a large bold headline about Captain America receiving a medal and dropped the aforementioned shiny object in Steve’s hand. “You should get a medal for that, alone.” He snickered. “Zola is enroute to the interrogation facilities, so he’s off our hands. What have you got for me?”

“There was a map,” One of the soldiers, Morita, recalled when everything settled down. “There was a map of… Hydra places, probably. Right across from the isolation ward. I had to walk there every day because the guards didn’t want to touch the prisoners, so they made other prisoners be escorts.” 

“Tell us what you remember.” Colonel Phillips ordered the men surrounding him. Barnes, Morita, Falsworth, Dernier, Jones, and Dugan stared at the map for a few seconds before they repeated locations. These five had been crucial in guarding Zola and passing out rations and keeping stock of the weapons they brought back for Stark to reverse-engineer. 

“...one was here in Poland, right near the Baltic. and the one was… about here, 30, 40 miles west of the Maginot Line. 

“There were weapon factories, too.” Falsworth said. “Hydra shipped all the parts to another facility that isn’t on this map. I’m not sure where it could be, though.” 

“That’s good enough,” Colonel Phillips said to the group. “Thank you for the report. Agent Carter, coordinate with MI6. I want every Allied eyeball looking for that main Hydra base.”

“And the SSR?” Peggy prompted. 

“We are gonna set a fire under Johann Schmidt’s ass. What do you say, fellas? It’s your map, you think you can wipe Hydra off of it?” 

“Yes, sir.” Steve chorused with the other six. 

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Bucky grabs Tony afterward. The eight of them find a bar and drink to their freedom. 

“I can’t believe they want us to go back to that hellhole.” Jones scowled as he downed his fourth drink. 

“It’s whatever,” Morita snorted. “As long as I can eat at least once a day and sleep for more than an hour, I’m in.” 

“Cheers!” The men chorused. 

“I mean hell, I’ll always fight, but you gotta do something for me. Since you’re the one sending us into all this.” 

“Depends on what it is,” Steve replied easily. 

“Open a tab and tell us how you got that there speed.” 

Bucky choked on a laugh as Tony glared at Steve. 

“Yeah, Rogers, how  _ did _ you get that fast?” His friend demanded sharply. 

“Uh, bootcamp?” Steve squeaked. 

“Ha! Let him stew in it, Tony, you know you scare the shit outta him.” 

“I’m told I scare the shit outta everyone, but that didn’t stop me from getting poked full of needles. I want answers, Rogers.” 

Steve gulped and looked around the table. He noted the empty glasses and made an ordeal of collecting and shuffling them over to the bartender. 

“Another round?” He asked. The bartender snickered and refilled the glasses. 

“Don’t know where you all put them, but we’re bound to run out at some point.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Steve offered with a laugh. 

He brought the drinks back and let Tony and Bucky corner him after they were all handed out. 

“What happened?” Bucky demanded. “They’re calling you by some weird stage name, you got a medal of honor, you literally punched a hole through some guy’s car-!” 

“Second time I’ve done that.” Steve mused. “But, uh, long story short, someone approached me during the fair, a scientist named Erskine. He’s been holed up at camp making more of the Serum because a German assassin destroyed it all when he tried to kill the guy. But I got pumped full of the stuff and now I’m stronger than I ever was. Faster, too. Guys, I can breathe properly. I’m not half-blind anymore. I can finally take care of myself!” 

“Yeah, you can take care of yourself, alright.” Bucky snorted. “But I guess that doesn’t include having common sense, so we’ll need to stick around after all, eh, Tony?” 

“Yeah,” Tony muttered, annoyed. “Yeah, we will. If only to make sure you don’t do something as stupid as taking down a factory behind enemy lines by yourself ever again.” 

“I did do that, didn’t I.” Steve crowed, bright-eyed. “I actually saved you guys. What a turnaround, yeah?” 

“Pepper is gonna kill you when we get back.” Bucky snickered. 

“Is she the one who likes the fancy cheese or was that Tony you were talking about?” A new voice chuckled warmly. The trio got to their feet and saluted the woman who entered the bar in a deep red form-fitting dress. 

“Agent Carter,” Steve addressed the woman. “these are two of my friends, James Barnes and Anthony Robinson.” 

“Pepper is my wife,” Tony informed her. “She definitely took a step down, if you ask me, and she never quite lost her taste for the finer things in life. Where’d the cheese come up, Stevie?” 

“On the way there, Howard Stark asked me to stop in Lucerne for some fondue and he said it in the worst way possible. Luckily, Steve knew what it was and mentioned that you three would walk on water for him if he got it.” 

“Tony would walk on water if Steve asked any other time.” Bucky drawled. “But we would love to be escorted by a lovely lady like yourself, especially if there’s good food involved.” 

“And hopefully better music.” Peggy offered slyly, motioning to the rowdy group they were with. 

“You don’t like the music?” 

“It’s just nothing you could dance to, of course. After the war, I know for a fact, the first thing I’m going to do is go dancing.” 

“To better music, then.” Bucky chirped, draining the last of his drink. “And until then we drink to war.” 

“Indeed, Sergeant Barnes. Speaking of the war, Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark has some equipment he wants you to try tomorrow morning at 0800.” 

“I’ll be there, ma’am.” 

“Enjoy your night, gentlemen, and Sapper Robinson, I look forward to meeting your wife, Pepper. I’m sure she has some wonderful stories to tell about you all.” 

“Of course, ma’am.” 


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning saw Steve trying and failing to find the man who had his equipment. Tony told him exactly where they would be working, but he had yet to see hide nor hair of someone who could tell him where he was. 

“Excuse me, I’m looking for Howard Stark.” He informed the secretary at the desk. 

“He’s in a meeting with Colonel Phillips. You’re welcome to wait, of course.” 

Steve nodded and took a seat on a nearby desk. The woman, Private Lorrainne, her tag read, flourished a newspaper detailing his rescue of the POW soldiers.

“I read about what you did.” She chirped. 

At his blank look, she gestured to the newspaper. 

“Oh! The…yeah! Well, that’s… it was necessary.”

**“** Sounded like more than that. You saved nearly four hundred men.

“Really, it’s not a big deal.

“Tell that to their wives.” She simpered as she approached him.

“I uh, I know some of them, so I’m sure I’ll get to. Not sure they were  _ all _ married.”

“You’re a hero.”

“Well, that’s stretching it a bit-.”

“The women of America, they owe you their thanks. And well, seeing as they’re not here-.”

“Stevie!” A familiar voice ground out. Steve glanced up, relieved, to find Tony waiting just around the corner from where Private Lorraine had sequestered them. 

“Knew you would get into something, you dumbass, c’mon. We don’t have all day to test your stuff.” 

“Uh, yeah.” Steve agreed, scurrying over to his friend. “We definitely don’t.” 

He waited until they were out of earshot before speaking again. 

“How’d you know to come get me?” He wondered. 

“It’s a bit past 0800, is how. Figured you were close, it’s just a matter of finding you. And I’ve been around too long to fuck that up.” Tony snorted. 

“Yep… uh, thanks.” 

They walked into the testing room and Steve saw an array of equipment. Guns, communicators, a couple of shield-like objects but the biggest and most obvious was a round plate of metal shaped like a particularly large silver frisbee.

“What’s this?” He wondered. 

Howard was by his side in an instant. 

“Carbon polymer. What your new uniform will be made out of. Should stand up to the average German bayonet, although Hydra’s not gonna attack you with a pocketknife.” 

“And the rest of it?” 

“Communicators for you and your boys, and as for these… well, I heard you got kind of attached.” Howard offered, gesturing to the shield. 

“It’s surprisingly useful.” 

“These are a few options, prototypes. Your friend over here is also an engineer so he got some input on what would suit you best. My favorite one has been fitted with electrical rays, so when you hit someone with it, they get a nasty shock, too.” 

“Interesting… and this one?” Steve asked, flicking a hand towards the large silver frisbee. 

“Vibranium, stronger than steel and a third of the weight. Also the most expensive metal in America.” Dr. Erskine rattled off. “And that’s all they have of it. It absorbs vibrations, so it’s the best at doing the job of a shield, but-.” 

“This one.” 

“Of course that’s the one you want.” Tony sighed. “Did you not hear me say that’s all they have? You couldn’t pick one of the bigger or tricked out ones?” 

“I’m pretty sure I can trick this one out, Tony. Besides, you guys made it a giant frisbee. You know how many people I could take out with one swing of a giant metal frisbee?” 

“Metal is understating it, but whatever. If that’s what you want, good luck with it.” 

“So, how do I look?” 

“Hold it out to one side, kid, I wanna see something.” 

Steve barely had time to oblige before Tony picked up a gun and fired a few rounds at the thing. It barely moved. 

“Now, if you take that outside into the woods, deep in, mind you, you should be able to knock down a tree, since it’s redistributing energy.” 

“I, uh… I’ll try that. But what the fuck, Tony?” 

“Pepper’s in the hospital.” His friend ground out. “Not sure how or why yet, it was a telegram, but something happened. They won’t let me go home, apparently my work is too important.” 

“That’s not right, you’re all she has.” 

“You think I don’t know that!” Tony barked out. 

“I meant to say, there’s gotta be something that can get you back home. Some of the boys back home were exempted because they were the last son of their parents.” 

“Not quite the same, but if you make a case for one of you being all she has after a relative’s death, I might be able to help there.” Dr. Erskine offered.

“Her brother’s already died out here. He could technically be considered the last son of her family.” Steve urged.

“Like they’d claim me.” 

“It’s worth a shot. Or we could see if they’d send Bucky home. He was a POW, he should get to go home.” 

“I doubt they’re sending anyone, but we’ll see what happens.” 

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Tony did not get to go home. Bucky did, because Steve made the case of the three of them being Pepper’s only family and Bucky deserving time to rest and recover after his ordeal. He got six months before the Howling Commandos needed him back in February. Meanwhile, the team was doing the best job they could at wiping Hydra off the map. France, Poland, Belgium, Czechoslovakia… Each base they found got them one step closer to the big one with all the weapons that had yet to be named or located. Two years and although they got closer with each factory taken down, everyone knew there was something bigger at play and it burned, particularly at the Officers and those in Intelligence, not to know the full extent of what Hydra was planning.

They got their break in 1945. A train full of weapons was planned to be escorted over the Russian landscape. Hydra had more scientists than Zola, of course, but the coward’s intel was outdated at best and faulty at worst. 

So they prepare to go to Russia. 

_ It was freezing cold when they’d been assigned the mission, more toward winter than fall, and it showed in the way the wind could chill you right down to your bones. No doubt that’s happening to Tony, slim as he is. He often joked that all Steve’s heat was good for now but he wouldn’t envy Steve in the summer. Finding ways to cool off would be a problem. Steve shook himself out and got to his feet. It was still very dark, nowhere near dawn, and one look outside told him that Colonel Phillips’ tent was crammed full with other officers. They were quiet, but it wasn’t enough to keep him from hearing the details of the Commandos’ next mission.  _

_ They left the tent one by one, and he could just make out Tony heading his way. His dreams flashed before his eyes, a speeding train over a frozen landscape, watching someone fall fall fall.… they couldn’t afford to go on that mission. Someone would die if they did. He led Tony away from the barracks, close enough to be in sight of the camp but far enough to be out of eye and earshot.  _

_ “We can’t go to Russia.” He blurted out once they stopped.  _

_ “What are you talking about? It’s a mission to get Zola. Do you know how long they’ve been trying to make this happen? This might be your only chance to find out what weapons are being used and where they’re being shipped to, something that Zola either doesn’t know or won’t spill even under threat of death.” _

_ “Someone is going to die!” Steve hissed. “They are going to fall off a train and into that fucked up landscape and never come back! They die… and I’m not sure I want to risk that.”  _

_ “We might have to, Steve. That’s what war is, people will die. I hope we make it out unscathed, but I doubt it.” Tony muttered bitterly. “I’ll see what we’ve got in the way of mountain climbing gear, though.”  _

  
  


Steve realized quickly that he had been right to worry. 

They were gathered on a high plateau over the tunnel where the train would be seen for a few brief moments. Morita crouched over the transceiver. He and Jones listened to the transmission. Falsworth peers through binoculars while Dugan and Dernier adjusted a winch at the cliff’s edge. Steve and Bucky watched from off to one side. 

“Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?” Bucky murmured worriedly.

**“** Yeah, and I threw up.”

“This isn’t payback, is it?”

“Now why would I do that?” Steve deadpanned. 

Jones glanced over at the pair. 

“We were right. Scientists and guards transporting weapons on the train. Hydra dispatcher gave permission to open up the throttle. Wherever that train’s going, those weapons must be crucial.

“Let’s get going, because they’re moving like the devil.” Falsworth scowled. He was right to say that they were running out of time. “All aboard, gentlemen! Mind the gap.” 

“Okay, this is a very short, very fast train. We only got about a 10-second window. You miss that and we’re bugs on a windshield.” Steve confirmed.

“Better get moving, bugs!” Dugan crowed.

“Maintenant!” (Now!) Dernier signaled with a drop of his hand. Steve, Bucky, and Gabe Jones whistle through the air on the zipline. They drop hard onto the roof and scurry towards the end of the train. They find a rooftop exit and drop down into the train, weapons drawn and ready to fire, but no one fires at them. 

The car is empty. 

“Aren’t they supposed to be transporting weapons?” Bucky prompted. 

“Yes… something is off about this. Let’s keep moving.” 

The other two nod their agreement and the trio keeps moving. The second car reveals a beast of a man, six and a half feet tall and heavily armored, both of his arms sported huge cannons. Steve and Bucky opened fire but their machine gun bullets ping uselessly off the trooper’s armor. The trooper aims at Steve first. The blue pulse blows the shield out of Steve’s hand and slams him into the back wall. The shield clangs to the floor. The trooper rounds on Bucky now. Bucky dives as the blast rips a hole in the wall behind them. Outside, a jagged ravine whips past. The trooper turns back to Steve as the speedster gets to his feet. The behemoth aims at the star on Steve’s chest. Bucky grabs Steve’s shield off the floor and leaps in front.

“Wait!” 

The cannon fired, hitting Bucky square in the shield and blowing him through the hole in the wall. With a last desperate effort, he snags the jagged edge. The trooper’s weapon is momentarily spent by the blast. As it starts to power back up, Steve lunges, grabbing Bucky’s slipping hand. Steve starts to pull him back in but the trooper fires, vaporizing Bucky’s arm into a blue mist.

Steve reaches out in anguish, catching his friend’s collar just barely and tugging him back into the train just in time to reach another tunnel.

Steve sets his friend down on a train seat and grabs his shield enraged. The trooper fires at them with both cannon-arms. This time, Steve holds on, knocking the blast away.

The conductor slams his hand on the console.

“Again! Fire again!” They hear over the loudspeaker. The trooper complies. Steve deflects it and keeps coming. The trooper re-aims and Steve charges, eyes wide and red and blazing with fury. He throws his shield at the trooper and the speaker crackled to life. 

“Stand down,” The conductor ordered. “Surrender, all of you. We surrender.”

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

“Well, you were right about having to go.” Steve groused as he, Bucky, and Tony sat in the ruins of the bombed out bar they’d gone to when this all started. 

The patch-job the Commandos make of Bucky’s arm was sketchy at best, dangerous at worst, and he was supposed to be resting at camp right now, but he couldn’t sleep. So he dragged Steve and Tony to this place in the dead of night and they chatted about whatever they could turn their minds to. Eventually, as all things would, the conversation flowed back to the day’s events. 

“The weapons they were transporting were human. A whole army of people with blasters on their hands and some had jetpacks and it’ll take weeks for the higher-ups to sort through all that. Meanwhile, they’re being held away from civilians and we are no longer in charge of that mess.” 

“That’s the second time you’ve had to save me.” Bucky offered quietly. 

“I almost didn’t get to.” Steve mumbled. If I’d been just a second slower, you would have-.” 

“Well, he’s here now.” Tony offered. 

“No thanks to you.” Steve ground out. 

“Hey, what’s-.” Bucky cut himself off at the shuffling sound of someone running through the streets. 

“Thank God,” A familiar voice exhaled quietly. Peggy picked her way through brick and broken ruins to slump onto Bucky’s lap. 

“Hey there, pretty lady,” Bucky murmured. “You shedding tears for me, now?” 

“No.” Peggy lied with a scowl. “You’re supposed to be in bed, Sergeant.” 

“When’s the last time you got a good night’s sleep, doll?” Bucky drawled, annoyed.

“That’s no excuse, do you know how scared I was?! I haven’t seen you all day and then when they say you’re supposed to be here, you’re not! Don’t you try and make this sound better, either-.”

“Marry me,” 

“Just let-. Excuse me?” 

“Marry me. When this is all over.” 

“Hell of a way to ask, Barnes.” Tony snickered. 

“Shut it!” Steve hissed. He wanted to hear what Peggy would say to this. 

“Wow, Barnes. That didn’t quite come out of nowhere but it was close enough. Near-death experiences change a man, do they?” 

“Well yeah, but that’s not why I’m asking. And you don’t have to answer just yet.” 

“I’ll do it anyway. Yes, I’ll marry you. Now, how long have you been waiting to ask?” 

“Since he first met you.” Steve groused. 

“Since September,” Tony corrected. “And goddammit, Barnes, it’s about time. I should have made you ask when you first brought it up.” 

“For fuck’s sake, Tony, can’t they have a moment?” 

“You weren’t anywhere near that courteous to me and Pepper.” Tony drawled. 

“Y’know what, get the fuck out.” Steve ordered. 

“Excuse you?” 

“I’m pulling rank, out.”

“Technically, you have no sway over me. I’m a combat engineer, dumbass, we follow different orders.” 

“Well think of this as me asking nicely. Get going before they start making out.” Steve ordered, dragging Tony out of the bar.


	6. Chapter 6

Phillips stands at the head of the table surrounded by Peggy, Howard and the rest of the Howling Commandos.

“Johann Schmidt belongs in the bughouse. He thinks he’s a god and he’s going to blow up half the world to prove it.” He flicked a dart from the old bar at the board containing a map of the world. “Starting with the U.S.A.”

“That’s insane.”

“So’s Hitler,” Peggy replied. “but he’s gotten pretty far with less than Schmidt has.”

“But Hydra would need millions of men, fleets of transport. They’d have to be fed, fueled-.”

Howard cut Falsworth off with a shake of his head.

“Schmidt’s working with powers beyond our capabilities. He gets across the Atlantic, he’ll wipe out the entire eastern seaboard in an hour.”

Steve stared at the map, eyes drawn inevitably to New York.

“Every able-bodied man we have is either here or in the Pacific.” He admitted. “Our borders are wide open.”

“How much time have we got?” Jones demanded, likely thinking of his own family back home. 

“According to intelligence, under twenty-four hours.” Phillips reported soberly.

Dread-filled silence fell over the room. Even a speedster couldn’t stop a whole fleet of men in less than a day. But he would have to try. 

“Where is he now?” Steve demands. 

Phillips gestured to a spy photo of a mountain. 

“Hydra’s last base is here, in the Alps. Five hundred feet below the surface.”

“So, what are we supposed to do? I mean, it’s not like we can just knock on the front door.”

Steve snorted, and everyone turned to face him.

“Why not? It worked for you guys, didn’t it?” 

“Of fucking course it did, Stevie.” Tony sighed. “Whatever. Do your thing. But you better come back or I’ll get Pepper to drag your scrawny ass.” 

“Sure thing, Tony. Now, where do we start?” 

  
  


They start with Steve on his motorcycle. He blasted through the forest at top speed. He barely manages to avoid getting hit by trees as they whip around him. 

Of course, he couldn’t get that far without something going wrong. He’s eventually faced with a clearing full of Hydra soldiers. He pressed a button on his bike and yanked it in a tailspin. Flames shot out from his exhaust pipe, laying down several yards of fire behind him. The nearest Hydra rider is helpless as his uniform and saddlebags burn. He veered into the woods and flew off a cliff, exploding in midair. One biker caught Steve on a straightaway. He pulled up next to Steve, grinning as he reached into a side compartment and lobs a live hand grenade. Steve snatched it from the air and cracked the rider in the jaw. The Hydra rider’s helmet dropped and he wobbled. Steve tossed the grenade back in the rider’s compartment and sped away, as the rider recovered. He lifted his helmet over his eyes just as the grenade exploded.

Steve could just barely make out the chanting going on if he strained his ears just right. Hundreds of voices going “Hail Hydra!” that he knew he would put an end to. 

Alarms rang loudly at the surface entrance. Barbed wire topped the earth-baked walls surrounding the compound. Hydra soldiers raced to take positions. Steve shot at the nearest one. The bike ramped off a gun emplacement, launched through the barbed wire and crashed into the compound just like he needed it to. Steve crushed one guard and whipping wire slashed another. Guards open fired but Steve swerved, tossing a grenade. One guard leveled a bazooka and Steve deflected the blast with his shield. A Hydra rifleman blew out Steve’s tire. His front fork dug into the ground, throwing him over the handlebars. He got to his feet, swinging, as dozens of guards move in.

Steve put up the barest hint of a fight as the guards dragged him deeper into the building. 

“Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait...But I will say you do it better than anyone else. Red Skull leans in, teeth gleaming in his crimson face. 

“There are limits to what even you can do, captain. Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?”

“He told me you were insane. That seemed like enough.” 

“He resented my genius and tried to deny me what was rightfully mine. Yet he gave you everything. What made you so special?” Red Skull accused.

“Nothing,” Steve scoffed. “I’m just a kid from Brooklyn who kept trying until I got my way.”

Skull seethes as he reared back and cracked steve in the jaw. 

He got exactly one hit in before Steve was ducking and dodging. It was like the soldiers of the 107th trying to see how much food he could catch before it hit him. He caught it all then and he juggled punches from various angles now.

After what feels like hours though it’s only minutes, the Hydra leader stepped back. Steve smirked. 

“I can do this all day.” He challenged. 

“I’m sure you can. But I have a bit of a schedule to keep. He pulls his Luger out and Steve stared down the barrel.

“Should have thought of that ten minutes ago.” Steve deadpanned. Glass shattered around them as three of the Howling Commandos broke into the building. 

Seconds later, Morita signaled the rest of their forces. 

Peggy and hundreds of Allied troops slipped out of hiding and poured into the compound. Dugan knocked someone cold out. Steve bashed the other guard’s head in. Schmidt got a few blasts off as he backed out the door. Down the hall, Allied soldiers blow through the double doors. Falsworth cuts down a guard, taking the shield from him and tossing it back to Steve.

“Thanks.”

“Cheers.”

Steve strapped on the shield and bolted after Schmidt.

Four Hydra troopers backed up to the entrance, firing. One fell immediately to Allied fire. The second tried to lob a grenade but gets shot and falls, dropping the grenade at the feet of the third. Trapped, the last one panics,

“Cut off one head, two more shall rise-!” 

He was cut off by Colonel Phillips, who stood not too far away with a smoking shotgun. 

“Let’s go find two more.” 

A dozen marines follow him down a different corridor and eventually out of Steve’s range of hearing.

Schmidt pounded down a corridor and Steve tore after him, skidding around the corner, only to be met by a vicious barrage. Schmidt unloaded his strange Luger and Steve managed to deflect with the edge of his shield. 

Schmidt raced past an intersecting corridor, dashed through a doorway, and slammed a button. Steve spotted the closing doors and hurled his shield at a precise angle. It whirled down the corridor and jammed between the doors, holding them open. Steve hared off after Schmidt but a Hydra flame-thrower aimed straight at him is blocking his way. Steve raises his arm to deflect the blast just in time to recall that his shield is stuck in the door. Blue flickers from the flamethrower and suddenly the trooper staggers. The tank on his back explodes and Tony steps out of the corridor, rifle in hand.

“One day, I’m going to figure out how you keep finding me.” Steve insisted.

“Don’t complain now, shithead, you’re lucky that’s held as long as it has.” Tony snorted.

“Right. Thanks.” 

Steve sprinted for the door, sliding below the shield and grabbing it just in time. The door barely missed his fingers as they slammed shut.

Peggy waves on a squad of SSR troops behind her.

Dernier and Falsworth fight along a corridor, outnumbered. Falsworth nods to Dernier and they retreat around a bend. Surprised, the Hydra troopers give chase but quickly regret it as Dugan steps out, firing a hydra cannon straight at them. 

Steve ran toward another door to find that just beyond, a huge hanger loomed. A deep rumbling shook the base and when Steve found the source, he gaped. Through the doorway, an enormous plane rolled past, easily ten times the size of anything he’d seen the Allies use. The massive plane skidded down the runway. In the shadows, five more bombers waited. Steve tore off after Schmidt’s plane as it picked up speed.

At the far end, a door opened, letting in the glare of daylight. Steve chased after the plane as it started to pull away. He barely managed to snag it. 

Steve yanked the stick, flying shakily toward the flight deck. The pod-fighter skidded across the flight deck, finally coming to a stop in a shower of sparks and screeching metal. Steve pushed the canopy off and climbed from the wreck. He strapped on his shield and looked toward the cockpit. Kicking opened the door, he found that it’s far quieter than it should have been. He bolted warily toward the control platform. The pilot’s chair was empty, he noticed. Suddenly, he hears the whine of a Hydra assault rifle powering up. His eyes darted to the window, where he saw a reflection of Schmidt aiming at his back. Steve whipped around, shield raised, and deflected Schmidt's shot. The blast ricocheted, blowing out a pane of the cockpit glass. Wind roared.

“You don’t give up, do you?”

“Nope.”

Steve swung his shield but Schmidt grabs it with both hands. The enemies struggled eye to eye.

"You wear a flag on your chest and thought you fight a battle of nations? I have seen the future, captain. There were no flags but Hydra’s."

"Keep the future. I’m looking for a little here-and-now."

Steve slammed Schmidt in the jaw with the shield and hit then Schmidt with an uppercut. The impact drove him into the autopilot controls. The plane lurched violently and spun into continuous circles. Steve and Schmidt tumbled to the ceiling and crashed across the whirling cockpit. Steve grasped for a handhold. The plane jerked again, throwing them together. Steve plowed Schmidt into the ceiling and Schmidt elbowed Steve into the wall. Schmidt tried to reach the autopilot but Steve swung around a strut and slammed his shield into Schmidt's head. Schmidt bashed against the wall but adeptly bounced back. He grabbed a strut and kicked Steve toward the bulkhead. Schmidt flew at the autopilot controls. Steve slammed hard into the steel wall. Schmidt found a handhold and hit the autopilot button.

The giant plane pulled out of its dive and gravity returns with sudden violence. Steve crashed to the floor and his shield rolled away. He lay momentarily dazed and his eyes fluttered. Schmidt approached blurrily with his luger shining blue. 

"You could have the power of the gods and you will not admit you want it?"

Now right in front of the cube housing, Schmidt aimed dead-center for the star on Steve's chest.

“I want what every soldier on every battlefield wants” Steve eyed the shield at his feet. “Which I’m going to get. I’m going home.”


	7. Chapter 7

Steve slammed his heel onto the shield, flipping it into the air. Schmidt fired but Steve hopped to his feet, grabbing the shield and blocking the blast. He spun on one foot and hurled his shield. The target frisbee hit Schmidt in the ribs with a sickening crunch, knocking him off his feet and smashing him into the cube console. Blue energy arced and crackled from the damaged machinery and the energy gauge pinned at overload. Schmidt dragged himself to his feet, staring in alarm as the cube rose from the machine. He reached out and tried to extract the cube. Steve gaped as the cube burned the glove off Schmidt's hand, exposing scarred flesh. The cube got brighter and Schmidt continued to stare, clearly amazed by something as bright as the sun. Blinded by the light, Steve bolted toward the controls. He was stopped suddenly and whipped up his shield as blue beams shot from the cube.

Energy bolts ricocheted off the ceiling and struck the demon-skulled man, vaporizing him as the cube writhed with blue wisps. A massive column of energy shot toward space, growing in intensity until it exploded outwards, evaporating even the clouds. Pure unobstructed sunlight glared through the cockpit windows in a blinding flash before fading. The plane whips on.

Steve staggered to his feet, trying to stop himself from seeing double. When his vision returned, the cube seemed to be done. He stepped toward it and suddenly, the plane banked violently, its engines roaring as it threw every loose object in the other direction. Steve raced for the controls in a struggle to right the plane. The cube tumbled across the flight deck and dropped through hole in the fuselage.

Steve debated going after it for all of two seconds before he remembered what he was doing here. 

Right, bombs on board. Heading for America.

Steve yanked at all manner of things that looked like they could steer the deathtrap he was standing on but nothing budged. He exhaled roughly and stared at the map of Manhattan on the monitor. 

He could be fast enough to dismantle every bomb on board, he didn;t know how. He didn;t know how to handle any of this. This was all Tony’s wheelhouse. Howard would probably fly this thing back to where it came from, but not him. Not for all the speed in the world-. 

“Slow down, kid, you’re rambling.” Came the very voice he needed to hear. “What’s the situation?” 

“Schmidt’s dead.”

“And the plane?” 

“Controls won’t move. I’ve tried everything, there’s no steering it.” 

“Okay, so what we can’t do is mess the plane up too badly. How much are you willing to bet on rewiring the plane?” Tony asked.

“Nothing.” Steve spits. “Like you said, we can’t get that wrong. There’s too many explosives, I’m not fast enough-.” 

“Cool it, Steve, deep breaths.” Came Bucky over the radio. “You’re gonna make it out somehow, Peggy can find a landing site-.” 

“Navigation’s shot and the plane’s on autopilot. Don’t think there is one.” Steve admitted. “Except here.” 

What followed was a deep pause that went on what felt like forever.

“Okay, kid. If that’s what you gotta do.” 

Tony sounded resigned, like he was patching Steve up after a series of fights. 

“Is he seriously going to crash the plane?!” Bucky yelped. 

“Sounds like he’s already trying.” Tony offered. Indeed, Steve found the wire to the navigation system and yanked with all his strength. For good measure, he yanked out any other wire that could possibly be attached. 

“Don’t worry, Tony. You always know how to find me. You’ll figure something out.” 

“You’re damn right I will.” 

“Make sure Pepper gets her cheese.” Steve mumbled. “And she’s gonna want to walk Peggy down the aisle, so you two can’t do anything stupid.” 

“Of course not, you’re taking all the stupid with you.” Bucky scowled. “I’ve got these three in hand, Steve, we’ll be fine. You just… you just rest. Shouldn’t have to wait for long. Knowing Tony, he really will be walking on water for you.” 

“Don’t let him. Don’t let them be stupid without me.” 

“Can’t exactly stop him, but I’ll try and stick around. If only so Pepper doesn’t gut you when we get there.” 

“Ah, shit. Pepper…” 

“She’ll be fine. Close your eyes and hold your breath, you’re in for a rough landing right about-.” 

Tony’s voice was cut from the radio as the plane careened into the ocean. 

Steve was lucky enough to black out right then and there. 

**Waking Up- 2011**

Warmth was Steve’s first sensation. Warmth and something was buzzing about two miles away from wherever he was. He was covered with something, smothered in it, really, which was likely the source of the heat. 

Obviously someone had found him, because the last thing he remembered was cold-freezing-burning-everything-hurt-. 

And he felt warmth here. And no pain at all. 

So someone found him. Hopefully it was Tony. Tony always knew how to find him. 

“It’s okay if you don’t want to open your eyes, but can you wiggle your toes?” A familiar-yet-not voice asked from a few feet away. “The doctor needs to know if you’re really awake and responsive or still coming out of it.” 

This was Pepper. He knew without a doubt that this was Pepper, like how Tony always knew how to find him. He couldn’t explain it, he had no real reason to think this was Pepper. Her voice was different, she smelled different, and there was no way she was the exact same age she’d been when he left for the war. She’d be older, depending on what year it was. But something deep inside him sang that this was Gertrude Potts, and wherever Pepper was, Tony wouldn’t be far behind. 

Steve wiggled his toes. It took more effort than he remembered having to ever exert. He twitched his fingers. That, too, took effort. 

“It’s okay,” Pepper-yet-not murmured soothingly. “You don’t have to rush. People take time to wake up in the morning, why would it be any different for you?” 

But he wanted to see her. What did she look like? Did she get to walk Peggy down the aisle? Or be her maid of honor? Did she and Tony have any kids? She didn’t seem like she wanted them, so maybe not. Still, it would have been a wonder to see what kind of little terrors they’d make. 

“Captain Rogers,” 

The voice he heard next was like this new Pepper’s. It was Tony, but somehow it really, really wasn’t. He had no way of knowing what they looked like or why they smelled different, sounded different. If he could just  _ open his eyes _ -! 

Steve saw blue, and at first he thought it was Schmidt’s cube but it was the wrong shade. That was about the color of the sky. This was more of a pale blue mixed with grey. 

“Welcome back, Captain Rogers,” Not-Pepper crooned. “We’ve been looking forward to seeing you.” 

_ Well, Pepper… since I know that’s you somehow, I’m so glad you made it through. _


End file.
